Since I left corporate to start my business a few years ago, I’ve had a steady stream of inquiries from friends and colleagues about getting out of corporate. For some reason, over the last few months, those inquiries have increased significantly. Now these are bright, talented individuals making very decent incomes who are absolutely miserable and disgusted with corporate life. I point that out because many times people think it’s just the 20-somethings that are complaining about corporate life. No, folks. It’s not just the Gen Yers – it’s Xers and lots of Boomers doing the complaining.

In every case , without exception, when I dig a little bit to find out what is at the root of the unhappiness, it turns out to be poor leadership. There are many reasons given. Here’s the top 10 list of complaints:

My boss has no clue what’s going on in the team.

My boss is a very good [fill in the expertise – salesperson, accountant, lawyer] but he’s a lousy manager.

My boss doesn’t stick up for us and caves in to the demands of other departments or higher ups.

The staff isn’t getting a raise but the higher ups are getting outrageous bonuses this year.

My boss is so afraid of losing her job that she refuses to listen to new ideas we’ve presented that can help the team.

My boss listens to people who are out of touch with the realities of what the team faces.

My boss is not well respected by the higher ups or his colleagues and is ineffective.

My boss is just holding on long enough to get retirement.

My boss has a sink or swim mentality.

My boss has no time for his employees.

Any of these ring a bell? Which ones resonate the most with you? What complaint isn’t on there that you feel strongly about? For me, the ones that would put me over the edge were #1, 3, 5 and 7.

After listening to so many people repeat these reasons over and over again, I wondered how so many leaders could be so clueless about how their employees felt? I realize that employees aren’t going to volunteer that information to their boss even if he or she asks. I also know that employees aren’t always forthcoming in giving that information on employee engagement surveys no matter how much the company tries to convince them their answers are “confidential”.

So I decided to post the top 10 complaints here in the hopes that leaders would read them and ask themselves 3 probing questions.

Who is someone inside or outside the company that I trust that can give me an honest assessment of how I am perceived as a leader? We all know people in our careers that are honest, trustworthy and discreet that can help us answer whether our perception of how we lead matches how others see us lead. The answer might surprise you.

Do any of these complaints describe my peers or bosses? Can any of them remotely describe me? Many times if you can spot these behaviors in others around you, it makes you stop and reflect on your own and causes you to take some time to be introspective.

What is one thing I can do today to ensure that my perception of how I lead is aligned to how others see me as a leader?

Of course, to answer these questions truthfully require you, as a leader, to be objective about yourself. But more importantly, it requires you to still CARE about being an effective leader. From the sounds of the heightened grumblings I’m hearing lately, that may be the missing ingredient.

So my question for you is: are you one of the leaders described in this Top 10 list? What are you doing to make sure you’re not?